New Heavens And A New Earth 9-22-24 PM

        I.            The passages where the phrases are found.

a.      These two phrases are found in only four passages.

b.      Two in the book of Isaiah and two in the New Testament.

c.       Isaiah 65:17 and Isaiah 66:22.

d.      2 Peter 3:13.

e.      Revelation 21:1 – this passage is why I mention phrases – because heaven is singular in this verse only.

f.        There are other passages that are brought up when discussing this idea of a new heavens and a new earth.

                                                              i.      Some use Matthew 19:28 – because of the word “regeneration”.

                                                            ii.      John 14:2-3 – which is a passage that should give us a hope of heaven.

                                                          iii.      Romans 8:18-22 – especially verse 22.

                                                          iv.      Hebrews 12:26-29 – because there are things shaken and something not shaken.

      II.            The context of these passages.

a.      This is something that may sound different to you, but the passages in Isaiah have nothing to do with the return of Jesus.

                                                              i.      Read Isaiah 65:1 beginning.

                                                            ii.      Isaiah 66:22 refers back to the mention of what God would make or create in 65:17.

                                                          iii.      What is being discussed here is the bringing in of the New Law and the doing away with the Old Law.

                                                          iv.      There is nothing in this text that is even remotely relevant to the second coming of Jesus.

                                                            v.      If anything, it is referring to what will take place when Jesus would come the first time.

b.      2 Peter 3:13 must be viewed from the beginning of this section in verse 1.

                                                              i.      Peter was inspired to begin this section with a reminder to be aware of the words spoken by inspired men.

                                                            ii.      He then mentions that there will be those who scoff at the idea of a return of Jesus and will be willfully ignorant of the fact God had at one time destroyed the earth with a flood.

                                                          iii.      Christians are not to be ignorant of that fact, nor the fact that the Lord will return because He has promised He will.

                                                          iv.      When He returns, the earth and universe in which the earth resides are going to pass away with a great noise, melt with a fervent heat, and the works be burned up.

                                                            v.      All these things will be dissolved.

                                                          vi.      Because of that fact, Christians are to look for new heavens and a new earth.

c.       Revelation 21:1 fits in with the verses beginning with Revelation 20:11.

                                                              i.      Here is the judgment scene.

                                                            ii.      All those not found in the book of life are cast in the lake of fire where the devil had been cast earlier in the text.

                                                          iii.      At this point, John was allowed to see a new heaven and a new earth where there was no sea.

                                                          iv.      John sees the new Jerusalem, which is the church in a glorified state, coming down being readied to be presented to the Father.

                                                            v.      God would now dwell with the church side by side, where He will do away with all pain, suffering, and sorrow.

    III.            The meaning of the phrases.

a.      We must remember that any meaning a passage has cannot dispute other clear passages.

b.      The New Testament teaches that Jesus will come again and judge mankind and take the church back to the Father to present her to Him.

                                                              i.      1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 5:27.

                                                            ii.      These passages are clear.

c.       2 Peter 3:10-13 is clear that the heavens and earth which now exist are going to be totally dissolved.

                                                              i.      Notice Revelation 20:11.

                                                            ii.      There will be no place found for the old ones.

d.      There is going to be a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

e.      The New Testament is clear that Christians are going to heaven (1 Peter 1:4).

                                                              i.      Jesus said He was preparing a place to which He would bring His disciples after He left earth (John 14:2-3).

                                                            ii.      This place is heaven.

f.        We now live in an environment known as heaven and earth.

                                                              i.      This environment is going to pass away.

                                                            ii.      We’ve stated that over and again.

g.      Our future environment is referred to figuratively as the new heavens and the new earth, which is an allusion to heaven itself.

h.      The old adage is things equal to the same thing are equal to each other.

                                                              i.      2 + 2=4 and 3+1=4 so they are equal to each other.

                                                            ii.      You and I are promised heaven as our final dwelling place and we are also promised a new heavens and a new earth.

                                                          iii.      Thus, the new heavens and the new earth is the same state as heaven.

i.What these phrases, a new heaven and a new earth, and a new heavens and a new earth, are, are symbols of heaven itself.